Ring! Ring! Ring!
In the midst of enjoying a picnic filled with the vibrant energy of spring with Ohana, I received a call from Amelia.
‘What’s going on…?’
She usually let me enjoy my free time, and wasn’t the kind of person who would interrupt in a situation where I wanted to enjoy myself.
Come to think of it, I had been with Amelia for quite some time, yet I didn’t feel like I truly knew her.
I understood her personality as a character, but if asked whether I fully grasped her as a person… well.
I had been thinking about that a lot lately.
My feelings for Amelia remained the same—I wanted her to be happy and to see her smiling. I would support her, but I didn’t feel the desire to be loved by her.
I quietly cheered for Amelia’s love from behind the scenes.
Anyway, I would head back for now, but in this case, what should I say?
“Erm, Jin-chan.”
“Huh?”
“You look like you’re in trouble…is everything okay?”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Your expression says otherwise. I’m sorry for forcing you to stay… And, I was thinking about returning too.”
“I see.”
It was the first time in my life…how should I put it? I was able to feel this fresh sensation directly.
It was possible to relate to a story while watching it unfold, but experiencing it as reality was an entirely different matter.
Right now, the Ohana, standing before me, was alive, breathing, and expressing her emotions to me without hesitation.
How did I feel?
‘I am…’
I didn’t know.
I was someone who had never been in a relationship, so this was a worthwhile matter to explore…
I had trained countless times through various romantic comedies. Yet, no matter what, I couldn’t decide what to do right away.
Was it loyalty to Amelia, or should I focus on Ohana, who was right in front of me?
I could return even if it wasn’t anything important. But whose servant was I?
I was Amelia’s servant.
Before becoming a butler, what had I said to Ed?
It was called loyalty.
But was it truly loyalty that caused me to hesitate here and now?
… No, it wasn’t.
I wanted to answer Amelia’s call without disappointing Ohana.
Was this how a romantic comedy writer felt?
With choices came conflict.
Of course, I had no intention of forgiving Murasame Kentaro for what they did, though.
I wasn’t a writer, so I didn’t have to think like one.
I was a reader, so I only needed to think like a reader.
Maybe someday, I would regret this choice.
“Hana-chan.”
“Eh?”
“There’s something I want to tell you. But don’t tell anyone else. It’s a secret.”
“Uh… Yes, tell me.”
Ohana nodded at my words.
I met Ohana’s gaze with a serious expression.
If this had been the original story, Kurosawa Shingo would have been acting as a butler by Amelia’s side since the entrance ceremony, so there wouldn’t have been any talk about his true identity.
Because he had kept it hidden all along.
So Ohana didn’t know.
Not just Ohana—none of their classmates at Hoshizora High School knew.
He had been thoroughly concealing it, ensuring no one noticed.
Would it be right for me to reveal it?
I didn’t need to think too much. I just wanted to say it.
If I kept thinking about it, the story wouldn’t progress. No matter what reaction I received, I would accept it calmly.
“I… In fact, I’m not just a student.”
“Eh?”
Ohana’s eyes widened in surprise.
Of course, it was a sudden confession.
If I was going to say it, I had to be clear.
That was the conclusion I had reached after much thought.
“Can you really promise me?”
Ohana nodded and extended her pinky finger.
“If I lie, I’ll have to swallow a thousand needles… It’s a pinky promise.” (G: a “pinky promise” in Japan is often followed by a little song: 指切りげんまん、うそついたら針千本飲ます、指切った.)
‘Ah, that.’
A simple yet solemn promise.
I hooked my pinky finger around Ohana’s and lightly shook it, repeating the same words.
“Yeah, now that I’ve promised, I won’t tell anyone! Jin-chan.”
Ohana laughed, tilting her head slightly.
Even with something so trivial, she was keeping her promise?
Perhaps because she was the childhood friend. Since she was a simple person without any outstanding qualities, even a single word like this might have meant a lot to her.
“I mean… Actually, I’m a butler.”
“Huh…? A what?”
“Yes, a butler.”
“You mean that job where you wear a black suit and serve someone from the upper class…?”
“Yes, exactly.”
As she nodded, Ohana stared at me in wonder and asked, “Then… who does Jin-chan serve? Wow… That’s amazing! I’ve only read about people like that in books!”
Was this really her reaction?
I nodded and decided to answer Ohana’s question.
“Someone from our class… Miss Iori.”
“Huh? Miss Iori?”
I thought Ohana would understand once I explained this much.
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